


All of Us

by HaruSpring88



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Anal Sex, Drama & Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Oral Sex, Parenthood, Parentlock, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Single Parents, mystrade
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-13
Updated: 2015-03-13
Packaged: 2018-03-17 15:40:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3534902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaruSpring88/pseuds/HaruSpring88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gregory Lestrade finds that one of the happiest moments of his life is perhaps only bittersweet, when he brings his children home for the first time. He discovers that single parenting is difficult, but that maybe it won't be so bad. He meets someone unexpected who perhaps has more interest in him and his family than he first thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All of Us

This was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of my life. Despite the fact Caroline and I were getting divorced I was happy to welcome our children home with her. We had planned everything together, co-parenting was important to us and we wanted to make sure things were as stable as possible regardless of the family dynamic.  
Here I am now at the doorstep of my two-bedroom flat with two car seats in each hand, and a diaper bag on my left shoulder, my key ring hanging from a lanyard in my mouth and my new cell phone about to fall out of my pocket. I was supposed to be doing this with Caroline. Instead, I’m bringing my children home alone. Caroline died shortly after their birth. Blood loss the doctors said.  
I set the carriers down next to the couch and toss the diaper bag, phone, and keys onto the chair. Lucky, for me both babies are sound asleep. I take Arthur out first and change his nappy and into a new onesie for the night. Amelia is next. She whines a bit while I change her but quickly falls back asleep. I put both of them in their respective cots and turned off all the lights but the small lamp next to a chair.  
Arthur Emery Lestrade. Born May 25th, 2008. 4:17am. 8lbs 8oz, and 19 inches long.  
Amelia Elizabeth Lestrade. Born May 25th, 2008. 4:25am 8lbs 4oz, and 19 inches long.  
I lean back in the chair knowing I’ll get little sleep tonight. I wasn’t prepared for this. Caroline and I had planned to live together until the twins had at least started sleeping most of the night, then she was going to move into her own place. I sigh and attempt to keep composed. I know I can’t change this. I had done my crying in the hospital. I knew I needed to be attentive and happy for my kids.  
I finally started to doze off when the crying began.  
*  
TEXT FROM JOHN WATSON: Hey, I heard what happened. I’ll keep Sherlock under control while you’re on leave. If you need anything let us know.  
TEXT TO JOHN WATSON: Thanks. I barely slept last night and I have to run to Tesco’s for a bit. Thanks for keeping Sherlock at bay.  
Arthur and Amelia strapped in their seats. Check. Car seats strapped in the car. Check. Stroller in the car. Check. How the hell am I going to grocery shop with two newborns? I have no idea.  
TEXT TO JOHN WATSON: Actually, John. I could use help at Tesco’s I don’t know how to push a stroller and shopping cart at the same time. Meet me there?  
TEXT FROM JOHN WATSON: Getting a cab now.  
“Thank you so much John.” I said as I loaded the twins into the stroller.  
“No problem, Greg. I imagine they’re going to be a handful.” John was looking at Arthur and Amelia who were awake but scrunching their eyes shut as they experienced daylight for the first time. John snapped a photo.  
“I need to show Sherlock.” John said matter-of-factly. “Now, I’ll push the cart and you just grab what you need, yeah.”  
I was really grateful for John’s help. Doing this alone would have been nearly impossible. I spent most of the trip looking at formula. The hospital had given me enough of theirs for a couple days, but I had no idea what to look at. Caroline was intending to breast-feed so we’d never bothered to purchase any formula. I was realizing now just how much harder this was going to be.  
“Bloody Hell, John. I don’t even know what kind to get. Caroline and I didn’t talk about this. Why are there so damn many?” I stared at the shelf looking at each brand clueless.  
“Greg, calm down. Just get a few and see what they like. Honestly, hospitals don’t tell you this, but most formula is identical.”  
I grabbed four containers and set them in the cart along with a mass amount of disposable nappies. Might as well get ahead. I was nearly too frustrated to even bother shopping for the groceries I needed for myself at the flat. Breathe. Greg. Breathe.  
*  
With John’s assistance I got everything home and put away. I was thankful he was there when both Amelia and Arthur decided to have breakdowns and need to be fed, changed, rocked, and put down for a nap simultaneously. It had only been half a day and I was nearly dead on my feet. I’d never get back to work. When the twins were settled I sat on my sofa to see that John had made me tea.  
“Thanks.”  
“Sure.” John sat down on the chair.  
“How are you holding up?” He asked.  
“I’m upset Caroline isn’t here. I’m probably not as sad as I should be, but I just can’t bring myself to mourn too long. I have kids to look after.”  
“If you ever need time, you know Sherlock and I can look after them.” John leaned back in the chair.  
I laughed. “I can’t imagine Sherlock looking after two infants.”  
John smiled. “I don’t know Greg. You can’t tell him, but he bought them a gift. I imagine he’s fairly excited, or at least interested in getting to know them.”  
“I’ll have to invite him over once they’ve settled in more and I’ve gotten a routine down. I’ve got eight weeks to figure things out before I have to get back to work.”  
“That’s longer than normal.”  
“Detective Chief Inspector offered me a couple more weeks in light of the circumstances. He was nice enough to have them paid as well.”  
John’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and chuckled. “I best be getting back. It’s from Molly apparently Sherlock is trying to take a body from the morgue because of unusual burn markings.”  
I brought my hand to my face. Sherlock Holmes, what else could he think up to cause trouble? Maybe I shouldn’t let him watch the twins too much. “Thanks John. Cheers.”  
“Anytime, Greg.” He shut the door behind him dialing his phone as he left, presumably to call the Detective to stop him from being arrested for stealing a body.  
I heard rustling on the baby monitor. Arthur was stirring from his nap, luckily Amelia was fast asleep. I picked my son up and brought him to the kitchen, made a bottle, and began to feed him.  
“Sorry, I’m utter rubbish at this right now. I’m trying though. It’s hard without your mummy. We didn’t always get along, but we were going to be civil for you and your sister.”  
Arthur just continued to suck frantically on the bottle and stared at me. His eyes were like mine. He had a bit of dark hair. Amelia didn’t have any hair yet. I wondered if they’d look more like me or Caroline. I was burping Arthur when Amelia began to cry. I went into the nursery and adjust my arms to carry both my son and daughter to the living room. Her crying stopped and she began to coo. Maybe I wasn’t such utter rubbish at this at all.


End file.
